Checkout Lane: Time for a car wash

With pollen falling from trees and onto cars, this is a busy time of year for car wash businesses. Their other busy time is the dead of winter.

Julie Onufrak

With pollen falling from trees and onto cars, this is a busy time of year for car wash businesses. Their other busy time is the dead of winter.

“It takes the salt on the streets to get the customers in,” said Scott Dummer of Hingham Car Wash in Hingham, Mass. He said January, February and March are his business’s busiest months.

Most car wash businesses that are not pay-per-minute, self-service style involve tunnels in which the car gets pushed through on a computerized conveyor system. Devices called tape switches sense the length of the car and alert a computer when the wash, wax or other features should be activated.

Some tunnels have a touchless wash system that uses high pressure and chemicals to clean the car.

Hingham Car Wash uses cloth with soaps and cleansers. Cloth used years ago was sometimes harsh on car surfaces, but Dummer said the cloth used today is gentle and doesn’t damage the car.

George Brewster, owner of Quincy Car Wash in Quincy, Mass., said he uses a series of three types of soap to thoroughly wash cars. When the cars are rinsed, a drying agent is mixed in to help break the water down.

“Before you go through the blowers to dry the car off, you can see the water start to bead off,” he said.

He said all chemicals used are biodegradable and safe for any car. Polish wax, sealer wax, undercarriage washes and tire shines are popular add-ons. Basic washes start at around $9, while a full-service wash with some add-ons can be around $20.

Brewster said washing your car is just another part of its basic maintenance. “If you take care of your car, the car’s going to last a lot longer,” he said.

Patriot Ledger writer Julie Onufrak may be reached at jonufrak@ledger.com.

Car washes go green

- Many professional car washes use water reclamation systems to significantly reduce water usage.

- Professional car washes discharge their water into a separate sanitary sewer or treat and recycle it. Discharge is not emptied into storm drains. Most storm drains carry excess rainwater directly into nearby waterways without any additional cleaning of that water.